The present invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for splicing webs of flexible material. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for attaching leaders of fresh webs (which are stored in the form of rolls surrounding the cores of bobbins, reels or like devices) to selected portions (e.g., to trailing ends) of expiring webs, namely webs which are being drawn off cores of bobbins, reels or like storing devices. Typical examples of splicing apparatus which can embody the present invention are those used in the tobacco processing industries, e.g., to splice together webs of cigarette paper, wrapping material for arrays of cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles in packing machines of the tobacco processing industry, webs of artificial cork or like flexible material which is used to be draped around rod-like fillers of filter material for tobacco smoke in filter rod making machines, webs of uniting band material which are used to connect rod-shaped tobacco-containing articles with rod-shaped mouthpieces of filter material in filter tipping machines and/or others. However, the improved splicing method and apparatus can also be utilized in other branches of the industry, particularly where an expiring web or strip of paper, plastic or other flexible material is to be joined with a fresh web in a manner to avoid lengthy stoppages of individual machines or production lines.
It is well known to utilize strips of flexible material, which is coated with an adhesive at both sides, as a means for attaching the leader of a fresh web to the trailing end of an expiring web. The strip is placed between the leader and the trailing end and the leader is thereupon pressed toward the trailing end and/or vice versa to ensure the establishment of a reliable bond between the uniting band and the leader on the one hand and between the uniting band and the trailing end on the other hand. Problems arise when the webs which are to be spliced together are relatively wide, i.e., when one must employ relatively wide strips in order to ensure that the trailing end of an expiring web is reliably bonded to the leader of a fresh web all the way from the one to the other marginal portion. Such relatively wide strips of flexible material, both sides of which are coated with an adhesive, are expensive and hard to handle, especially if the splicing operation is to be completed within a short interval of time, e.g., in a fully automatic way.